We began because Dave Withey, our executive director, had been helping his aging friends and family with small home repairs for a number of

NeighborLink Indianapolis' role in this exciting program is providing the opportunities for BY Plus students in training

It isn’t uncommon for us to hear the question, “why do home repair for free when that person should just move?” The question isn’t a negative one, per se, but one that speaks from more economic privilege than the inquisitor may realize. For many who do not experience poverty, it can seem like a foreign concept, especially when it is far too easy to keep tunnel vision for your own space and means. However, when we look at the 2019 U.S. Census Bureau survey, it indicates approx

This is a first for us at NeighborLink Indianapolis! Due to our size, previous 100% volunteer staff, and very much start-up style for many years, our organization had never put together an official Report. Sure, we filed our 990s and of course met all reporting needs to help our operations be transparent to our donors. We’d even been rated a top nonprofit by GreatNonProfits.com . We hadn’t had the ability to put together a good visual of our prior year’s progress. January of

Surveys show aging in place is the preference of most people, but the options for doing so vary greatly. A recent study shows that even those with middle-incomes will not have the resources to maintain their homes and access services needed to remain in them. Income inequalities persist throughout the life span, however, which make aging in place much more challenging for those with fewer resources. According to the 2016 report of Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvar

“Home sweet home.” “Home is where the heart is.” Common sayings that one mentions without giving it a second thought. For many aging Americans however, the thought of not being able to live at home as they get older is a real possibility. Whether that is due to financial strain and lack of resources, or the condition and accessibility of their home not meeting their needs as they age, many elderly individuals find themselves forced out of their home and into assisted living

It was a brisk autumn afternoon. We sat on the patio of Claudette’s Crown Hill bungalow to keep a safe distance. She brought out a space heater and offered Tom Hawkins, Director of Operations , and I blankets to keep us warm. Ms. Claudette carries herself in the manner of someone who has lived a long, fruitful life. When I first heard about NeighborLink’s long-time relationship with Claudette, a relationship that ended up saving the organization, I wanted to sit down with her

Whew! 2020 has been a tough year! Here we are though, we're in the final stretch of the year and can look back at what has been accomplished despite a global pandemic, masks as a new normal, social distancing, and stay at home orders. Quite frankly, we were a little worried about how this year would shape up when spring was in full force. Our clients are among the most vulnerable and at the same time, providing them home repairs to allow them safety in their own home was even

Sometimes searching for that perfect gift can be daunting. In some cases, the idea of just adding more stuff to someone's already full house puts a damper on the holiday tradition. We've put together a list of ways you can support NeighborLink Indianapolis, that likely, fits in with other organizations as well. Just like small businesses, small nonprofits can use all the help we can get. 1. Give a gift of gratitude For the person who has it all, donate to an organization in h

If you've been a donor, supporter, volunteer or just kept an eye on NeighborLink Indianapolis, you know we've never really been good about launching ahead with donations or asks. In fact, we've never really done a fundraising campaign. To that point though, we've never blazed forth in a year where we wore masks, kept six feet apart, or avoided offering a hug to a grateful and happy homeowner. It's a year for new things. We are excited to be launching a campaign to help kickst

Earlier this year we had the Indiana Public Safety Foundation (IPSF) out with the IMPD Cadets. IPSF is a nonprofit that helps support the 3200 women and men who serve in the public safety space in Indianapolis. One part of their relationship with IMPD is the IMPD Cadet program. This program focuses on 18 to 22 year olds who are interested in working with the IMPD. The program helps bridge the gap of interest to the age when they may apply to be a police officer. The Cadets a

If you have volunteered with NeighborLink Indianapolis at all this summer or fall, there is a good chance you have either emailed with or met Lisa Cole. Lisa joined the NeighborLink Indianapolis team this past June as Director of Community & Partner Engagement. Her history in the nonprofit sector speaks to her dedication with helping not only her community, but the broader community of people served as well. Lisa is from Indianapolis and started her career life as a registere

Mrs. Bond received a phone call from her neighbor a few blocks away and was expecting to chat about the typical goings-on in the neighborhood. Things like, “did you see that house that’s being remodeled on 37th Street?” Or jumping into the typical fall foliage talk like, “Can you believe how beautiful maple trees are this autumn?” This call was different though. This call was providing a resource Mrs. Bond never expected but definitely needed—help. The neighbor launched into

Words can not fully describe how thankful we are for every volunteer who has braved mask wearing, physical distancing, and sweating through volunteer projects these last few months. For anyone who isn't familiar with NeighborLink Indianapolis, 95% of our work is done by volunteers. Seniors in Indianapolis who would face stiff fines and in some cases, risk losing their homes, are spared those incidents because of volunteers willing to give a few hours of their time to help. Th

A huge THANK YOU to those who have already joined and participated in one or more of our Volunteer Teams.

Before and after photos are so encouraging, aren’t they? Especially when they’re connected to a senior homeowner being cited by the Health Department. Unfamiliar with city citations? A senior homeowner is sent a letter informing them they need to correct a violation or be fined. In this home’s case, the fines were more than $2,000. As a senior below 150% of the poverty line, this was very scary! The senior was referred to us for assistance. Initially we had to delay help. She

One of the first people to get involved with NeighborLink Indianapolis was Jeanette Jefferis. She had already been an active volunteer with her church’s Neighbor 2 Neighbor program, which was very similar to NeighborLink, making the transition to helping NeighborLink an easy one. A retired nurse, Jeanette has a natural ability to convey information to an elderly homeowner and give them comfort with the process around repairing their home. Her prior professional and volunteer

NeighborLink Indianapolis has slowly begun adding staff to its numbers in order to better serve the growing number of seniors in need in Marion County. Tom Miller, Director of Client Relations, was brought on board October of last year. A native Hoosier, Miller has a background in teaching and a heart for helping a community. His volunteer work landed him on a nonprofit career path where he worked in adult education for nearly 19 years. He focused on teaching GED/High School

Linda is a lovely senior citizen, born & raised in Indianapolis and primarily on the Eastside. She enjoys talking with people and exploring places, traveling. "Just simple things in life make me happy," said Linda. "Having my home together as I once did." Having her home together is exactly how we met Ms. Linda. Her home that she owns and has lived in for decades was in need of repairs over the course of the last couple of years—overgrown trees at risk of falling, windows nee

Phil Kirk has been an active member of the board of directors for NeighborLink Indianapolis for the past several years. A mutual friend of his and Dave Withey, Executive Director, who also served on the board encouraged him to have a conversation with Dave. The rest is history. “I was drawn to NeighborLink Indianapolis by the realization that the organization meets a critical need in our city,” says Kirk. “Literally filling a gap where there is a great need among our senior c